As the subject states, I attended a public school but have encounter many numerous home schooled individuals. I am worried that homeschoolers (although above-average intelligence, generally) do not have the social skills required to interact with their peers. The defining moment of this is when I read this article: http://www.thecampusword.com/content/view/1973/502/.

It's about Adam Gadahn, a home-schooled American who is now a spin man for al-Qaeda. I can't help but wondering if he had a "normal" upbringing at a public/private school, would he have turned into a senior operative for a terrorist organization? Would his classmates kept him in-check from an early age to conform to the norm? Conformity, in this sense, is beneficial and quite necessary, I believe. Anyone care to discuss?

None of my lesson plans include bomb making.
To imply maybe it was lack of socialization is silly!
Remember Columbine? Those were PS kids that hated their classmates because they had been mistreated by their peers, if I remember correctly.
There is an example of poor social skills!
It does not matter who or where you are, there will always be tragedy from every niche in America.

As the subject states, I attended a public school but have encounter many numerous home schooled individuals. I am worried that homeschoolers (although above-average intelligence, generally) do not have the social skills required to interact with their peers. The defining moment of this is when I read this article: http://www.thecampusword.com/content/view/1973/502/.

It's about Adam Gadahn, a home-schooled American who is now a spin man for al-Qaeda. I can't help but wondering if he had a "normal" upbringing at a public/private school, would he have turned into a senior operative for a terrorist organization? Would his classmates kept him in-check from an early age to conform to the norm? Conformity, in this sense, is beneficial and quite necessary, I believe. Anyone care to discuss?

Your whole argument is the Hasty Generalization Logic Fallacy, in that you draw a conclusion from too small a group(in this case a single individual).

Example of the Hasty Generalization Logic Fallacy: "British people sure do talk fast. I know, because I talked to one once and he talked so fast I could barely understand what he was saying."

You are saying because Adam Gadahn was homeschooled, he became a spin man for al-Qaeda. Therefore homeschooling creates terrorists(or other evil doers for that matter). If homeschooling causes children to become al-Qaeda terrorists why aren't there a lot more of them?

Whenever someone does something so tragic people always guess at the reasons. Just like suicide, people wonder what made them do such a desperate thing.
There is never any real concrete answers as dead men tell no tales.
But to blame a certain group is never the answer. These things happen and no one is to blame. Sure there are conditions that can add to a persons actions but show me where the proof is. Do you have statistics? Have there been tests done?
It is futile to guess at a dead mans motivation.

I don't want my children being socialized to act like many of the public school students I encountered. And I certainly don't want them in college dating in the manner that was suggested in the article on your website.

I'll take my chances with homeschooling.

Jazzy for president. You just put into words everything i was thinking about this. When I do have kids I want them to grow up with morals and self respect. Who better to teach them this then their own parents, Plus i know so many parents that homeschool their kids and they now go to college and have very normal social lives without the excessive social behaviors that the other college kids have._________________preschool supplies

home schooled for a couple years, attended two different public schools and two different private schools. I have met all kinds of students and teachers. What did I find in all this research? That human nature will undoubtedly be the deciding factor as to what a human will do. Though people can be influenced throughout the course of there lives, I think that if you are blaming a persons ignorance for there actions, you will have a very long hunt only bearing down on home scholars.

I think those unfamiliar with home schooling mistakenly think that the kids are at home all the time and socially isolated. This was me at one time, and this is totally out of ignorance. I have an adult child that went to public school, and my high school aged son is home schooled. Guess who is more "social''?? My home schooler is because he will talk to anyone and everyone, regardless of age. He is not locked in to a peer group which is an advantage for him. Today, home school is more widely accepted and has grown tremendously. Just because they are home schooled is somewhat of a misnomer. I think "parent-directed" schooling may be a better choice. Keep in mind that home schoolers are not only at home; there are field trips, PE classes, sports, piano recitals, violin, band, and even classes for homeschoolers in many subjects. Some are involved in theatre, debate, community service, community college, have jobs, and the list goes on. They even have dances and graduation ceremonies. This is the kind of socialization they need to succeed; they are in the home and in the community. Being stuck in a classroom all day long with kids the same age is a restrictive enviornment that does NOT properly socialize them or prepare them for life. I have seen many homeschoolers suceed. Condoleeza Rice was a home schooler. So was author Christopher Paolini(Eragon) I wish I could have home schooled. It's awesome!_________________Have a great day!

As the subject states, I attended a public school but have encounter many numerous home schooled individuals. I am worried that homeschoolers (although above-average intelligence, generally) do not have the social skills required to interact with their peers. .....[see above for complete quote] Conformity, in this sense, is beneficial and quite necessary, I believe. Anyone care to discuss?

I would say that quite the opposite is the issue. Students in public schools arranged in grids and moved about like cattle are over socialized and overly indoctrinated in conformity. Societies that produce little Thailand, Laos and others are often composed of individuals that are highly socialized. Over socialization often limits moral development and individual development.

On another issue the secular humanist ideology is at the core of the education establishment. It is a religion. For that reason alone we need separation of education and state. Funny how the left only sees these sorts of issues when it suits them._________________Math Physics Homework Tutor

It has been some time since my last reply. We are at our one year mark and our daughter is happier, more mature and just better over-all then she was when she was in Public School.

Lack of socialization claims are unfounded, but everyone is different and there may be some folks out there that do shutter their kids inside and they do not see the light of day or experience life and turn out to be freaks, but I have yet to find one in real life.

Our daughter still has time with her peers from school, yet side by side there is a marked difference with both attitude, intelligence and behavior. Her desire to spend time with those old friends dwidles as the days go by since she herself sees the difference and did not like what she saw.
She says she feels bad for them because they have not moved forward (in attitude, intelligence and behavior) like she has. She now has self confidence that she never had before and actually likes who she is and what she has become._________________We love our blog! http://homeschool-basics.blogspot.com/

This discussion started in a very interesting manner. Too many people take ONE example and claim it to be the norm.

A few weeks ago I had a friend approach me in church and ask how homeschool was going. She said that she was interested in homeschooling their kids but her husband wouldn't have it ... his cousin had been homeschooled and ended up marrying the first person he dated because he was antisocial and had no self esteem.

WHAT? Seriously... who decides on whether or not to homeschool based on that? Who says that everyone that's homeschooled does that? And, who says that some who are public schooled don't?

Some people choose to marry the first person they date. Some people turn into terrorists. It has nothing to do with homeschooling.

It's been a few months and I would like to add to my thoughts on this.

Again, I have quite the opposite concern. It is my belief that students in public schools are over-socialized. Now part of developing the whole person is to develop some level of social skills and understanding, But that doesn't mean you have to be herded around in large groups from class to class for 12 years.

I am a math and physics teacher. I have also traveled the world. I can tell you one of the things that holds back various societies is over socialization. That is some groups exist almost exclusively on a social level. This then comes at the exclusion of higher thinking skills and moral reason as a basis of action. Humans like other species are a social animal, but unlike other species we have higher cognitive skills. We have rationality as a basis of action. Over dependence on social relationships as a basis of action can be VERY limiting for a given society.

Social behavior as a basis of action leads to a limited version of caring. The caring only occurs in the social context. This can be very limiting as not all of societies problems can be solved on the basis of purely social behavior. Acting and thinking purely from a social domain of action as opposed to a higher moral and rational domain can lead to a variety of societal problems including corruption.

I have noticed how the left has attempted to take moral reason out of the basis of action. Perhaps that goes along with reducing people to purely social animals and then manipulating them on that level. Well I am sure they don't plan it out but that's the direction things have gone. If homeschooling reduces the problem it's a positive._________________Math Physics Homework Tutor

Interesting. So without independent moral standards for right and wrong, the only way you can do the "right" thing is as part of the group? Only majority rule can decide what's right and wrong._________________Homeschool Articles - Events - Support Groups

I would have loved the option to be homeschooled. The treatment I got at school for not "conforming" totally was horrendous. The funny thing was that there were very few other students who actually disliked me. They would get along fabulously with me, as long as one of the main bullies couldn't see. And, in the spirit of conformity, whenever I was being made fun of, or pushed around, everyone else joined in. Even the teachers stood back, although I got great report cards from behaviour to academic achievements.

This treatment still plays on me more than 20 years later, even though I now have a fabulous life. If I could have had an alternative to going to school then, and still learning, I would have jumped at it.

University, however, was fantastic. I was a self-motivated learner, and people were drawn to me for the very same reasons that I was given such a hard time for in my previous schools (primary and secondary).

When I was at school, my mother actually used to have me involved in camps and other extra-curricular activities to show me that I could have friends and it was not my fault that I was bullied. So I was being "socialised" to counteract the "socialisation" that public school gave me._________________Getting Started in Homeschooling is easy at www.YourHomeschoolCommunity.com